Paramedic who sexually abused young girl tells jury he 'firmly believes' he is Archangel Michael
A paramedic who filmed himself sexually abusing an underage girl has told a jury that he is the Archangel Michael.
Stuart Gray told his victim that she was an angel too, and that his crimes against her were "saving her life".
The crimes took place 10 years ago, while the victim was aged between 13 and 15.
Gray, who is podcaster, blogger and author of a book about being a paramedic, told a jury: "All my life I have believed there are angels on earth in human form."
His barrister Sean Minihan asked him: "You told people you believe you are an angel?"
Gray, of Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire, replied: "That’s correct. I firmly believe I had an alter ego called Michael that helped me through life."
The 60-year-old of Beehive Lane denied rape at St Albans Crown Court, but admitted charges of sexual activity with a child aged 13 to 15.
He said: "She was 13. I was 50. I am thoroughly disgusted and ashamed of myself and I need to be punished for what I have done."
He admitted kissing the girl, having her give him oral sex and sexual touching when she was under 16.
He also admitted taking sexual pictures and videos of her and secretly recording in the bathroom.
The jury heard he had covertly filmed up females’ skirts and was found with downloaded indecent images of children on his computer.
But he denied raping her saying: "I consented. I would not have gone forward if I had thought otherwise."
Prosecutor Simon Gledhill asked him: "You created for her a world of fear of consequence if she did not submit to your teachings."
He replied: "No."Mr Gledhill said when the girl was aged 14 he sent her a text message that read: "I am saving your life not abusing you - you get that don’t you?"
The prosecutor said: "You were weaving the importance of your sexual encounters to the importance of being an angel."
He replied: "That is not true."
The victim, who is now in her 20s, told the court: "He believed the end of the world was near. He talked about the four angels of the apocalypse."
She said he had an entire folder of material about various conspiracy theories.
Gray, a paramedic of 20 years who worked for the London Ambulance Service, told her that she, one of her relatives and two of his relatives were all angels.
"I believed he genuinely believed what he was telling me", his victim said.The trial continues.
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